Colombia to step up sales of eco-friendly coffee by 2007.

NEW YORK, MAY 18:  The head of Colombia’s largest coffee growers’ group vowed on Wednesday to make sure that 10% of its total coffee output will be certified by social and environmental programs by 2007.

“There should be, by 2007, about 1 million (60 kg) bags of certified coffee, and that will be about 10% of Colombian coffee,” said Gabriel Silva, chief executive of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC).

RA is a nonprofit organisation helping farmers and companies balance
economic, social and environmental development by means of
conservation. The Fair Trade label guarantees that farmers and workers
received a fair price for their products, while Utz-Kapeh is a
worldwide certification programme that sets the standard for
responsible coffee production and sourcing.

Growing consumer demand for certified coffee by social and
environmental programs has prompted more farmers and coffee roasters to
sell certified products.

Chris Wille, chief of the RA’s sustainable agriculture
programme, said his group certifies about 30,000 tonne of coffee, up
from about 5,000 tonne five years ago.